Tulsi Gabbard’s Aunt Allegedly Stabbed, Beaten to Death with Hammer in Samoa

The paternal aunt of former Hawaiian Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) was allegedly stabbed multiple times and beaten to death with a hammer in a brutal murder by her protégé in Samoa, police in the island nation said.

Caroline “Sina” Sinavaiana-Gabbard, 78, was found dead on May 25 at the GaluMoana Theater in Vaivase-Uta, Spectrum News reported. Sinavaiana-Gabbard allegedly got into a fight with Papalii Sia Figiel, 57, a Samoan poet and writer who was reportedly mentored by the older woman. The fight escalated to lethal blows when Figiel allegedly stabbed Sinavaiana-Gabbard multiple times and struck her with a hammer before fleeing to a friend’s house, where she was arrested, police said.

Figiel was initially charged with manslaughter, but the charges were upgraded to murder after a police investigation, Samoa police commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo told reporters at a news conference.

Read more at The Daily Beast.